The scene mirrored a war zone with billows of fire and columns of smoke whirling all over the horizon. The actors were vicious-looking soldiers in uniform and the victims were commuting Lagosians who were trapped for hours in traffic snarl occasioned by the mayhem.

By the end of the madness no fewer than five BRT buses were set ablaze, while scores of commuters sustained injuries at the Palmgrove Area of Lagos State, South West Nigeria, after vengeful soldiers went on rampage, protesting the killing of one of their own by a “hit and run” BRT driver.

A BRT bus reportedly hit and killed a soldier, an act that prompted the soldiers to take the laws into their hand and create an orgy of violence which demobilized socio-economic activities in the ever busy Lagos.

The errant BRT bus had strayed off its designated lane to knock off and kill a military personnel who was riding on a motor-bike.

The deceased soldier was reportedly not riding his motorcycle on the BRT designated lane. “He  was not on the BRT lane, he was on the main high-way. But the BRT driver left his lane and was on the main road with other vehicles, that was how he killed the soldier,” a witness stated.

The driver and conductor of the BRT bus that killed the soldier allegedly jumped off the bus and escaped, upon hearing that a revenge was on the way by soldiers.

Trouble began at about 7am on Friday, when the soldiers stormed the Awoyokun Bus Stop area of Lagos, beating everyone in sight before descending on the drivers of the BRT buses. People fled the BRT buses in droves as the soldiers went on a beating spree. One lady with a baby strapped to her back wasn’t spared either; with the soldiers sending mother and baby rolling on the tarmac.

There was plenty of mayhem on the entire stretch of Ikorodu Road–one of the city’s busiest–with hoodlums now cashing in on the confusion to raid homes and offices.

The windshields of the BRT buses were shattered by a female military personnel. The irate soldiers then set the buses ablaze. All BRT buses around the Lagos metropolis are being detained and razed by angry military personnel.

According to witnesses, the soldier who was not identified was riding a bicycle to work when the BRT bus knocked him down at the Palmgrove bus stop.

It was gathered that an alert was sent immediately to soldiers at the Abalti Barrack. Thus, the road at Palmgrove was blocked by the soldiers as they began to vandalise every BRT in sight, causing a massive traffic.

Effort to speak with the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army was not successful. But sources confirmed the development to our Correspondent.

But the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Lagos State Police command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the development. She also added that, calm has however returned to the area. Braide also said that already investigation into the matter has begun.

The drivers abandoned their buses as angry soldiers began setting the buses on fire. Not less than four buses have been burnt down.

It was gathered that journalists who attempted to take photos were severely beaten by the soldiers who belonged to an outfit called “OP MESA” and had to be rushed to the hospital. Some other pedestrians who were making calls with their phones or even just holding the phone in sight were slapped and kicked and their phones seized or damaged.

According to sources, at least 80 soldiers were on the road between Onipanu and Palmgrove and pedestrians were required to raise their two hands as they passed to avoid beating by the soldiers.

The Friday incident, was not the first. In October last year, a reckless BRT driver had knocked down a male and female soldier, on the service lane on Ikorodu road. The duo later died at the Military Hospital at Yaba, after unsuccessful effort by medical practitioners to save their lives.